1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power control arrangement for reducing electric power consumption of electronic equipment, and is particularly adapted for use in battery-powered equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional battery-powered equipment, for example battery-powered calculators, there has been necessitated a voltage converting circuit, such as a DC-DC converting circuit, in order to obtain a necessary voltage level. Such a voltage converting circuit itself consumes a certain electric power, even in the absence of load, while the calculator is in use or the power switch thereof remains closed . For example, in a recording-type calculator in which the converted voltage is supplied to a printout unit as the driving power therefor, a considerably larger portion of the electric power is consumed in such a voltage converting circuit for purposes other than the essential purpose thereof, whereas the period of time in which the converted voltage is actually used for printing is very limited compared with the total period of use of the calculator.